Eco-climatic zoning and Vegetation–Drought interactions in Southern Türkiye: A sub-regional analysis of vegetation health index (VHI) and gross primary production (GPP) using satellite and reanalysis data
Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, cilt.145, 2027 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 145
- Basım Tarihi: 2027
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.pce.2026.104924
- Dergi Adı: Physics and Chemistry of the Earth
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chimica, Compendex, Geobase, INSPEC
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Drought, ERA5-Land, Gross primary production (GPP), K-means clustering, Principal component analysis (PCA), TerraClimate, Vegetation health index (VHI)
- Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
When assessing ecosystem resilience in regions affected by climatic variability, it is essential to understand the spatiotemporal relationships among vegetation productivity, vegetation health, and hydro-climatic conditions. This study analyzes the eco-climatic patterns of 27 provinces in southern Türkiye by integrating MODIS-derived Gross Primary Production (GPP) and Vegetation Health Index (VHI) with precipitation and mean temperature data from the ERA5-Land and TerraClimate reanalysis datasets for the period 2001–2023. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to identify key climatic and ecological gradients, while K-Means clustering was used to classify provinces into homogeneous eco-climatic zones. The results indicate three consistent categories across all variables, reflecting low, medium, and high productivity/stress levels. In the Mediterranean region, characterized by mild winters and abundant rainfall, irrigation facilitates enhanced vegetation growth. In contrast, southeastern and eastern inland regions showed low GPP and VHI values due to limited rainfall, high temperatures, and short growing seasons. TerraClimate appeared to better represent regional hydro-climatic gradients, consistent with findings from previous studies, whereas ERA5-Land may overestimate precipitation in complex mountainous regions, as also reported in previous studies in elevated regions. Integrating vegetation productivity, stress indicators, and reanalysis-based climate variables provides a robust framework for identifying eco-climatic zones, determining regions most susceptible to drought, and comprehending the interplay between vegetation and climate. The findings provide critical insights for agricultural planning, ecological monitoring, and climate change adaptation in southern Türkiye.